As Vancouver marks its fifth year as a same sex union province, local retailers say legalizing "I dos" among the gay population is good for business.
"Same sex couples are among our best customers," says Gino Giragosian, owner of Absolute Star Design, a high-end jewelry store located in West Vancouver. "They have definitely contributed to the economy of wedding-related businesses."
Absolute Star Design saw a revenue increase of $100,000 last year, a large part of which came from same sex couples. The store, which specializes in one-of-a-kind custom designs and rare diamonds like the Eighty-eight cut, appeals to the affluent gay population.
"It's not the traditional wedding market," notes Bruce McDonald, director of the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. "Many gay and lesbian couples have been together for 20-40 years. They're established. They'll fly all their friends over for the wedding and pick up the bill."
McDonald says 50 percent of same sex marriages in Canada are couples wedding from outside the country, contributing an estimated $1B to the Canadian economy over the past three years.
For further information: Gino Giragosian, Absolute Star Design, www.absolutestardesign.com, (604) 925-5167
CNW Group
Monday, July 7, 2008
In Canada Retailers Say Same Sex Marriage Makes Cents
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1 comment:
Yep, it sure is good for tourism? However, I hope these couples stay happy for a long time as divorce will be tricky to damn near impossible for non-residents here. I'm all for the tourism being a Canadian myself, but I sure hope that all of these foreign couples know what they are getting in to!
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